Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-12-08
WAsHrNGroy. Dscsmbsr Il. =
Postmaster Generals Report.

WASHINGTON, Dec 6-Tho following ex.
tracts nre from the P NJ. Gaorars reTorr:
''The expectation OF growth and improve
nnent in the affairs of the postal service, in
dulged in previous reports, has been realized
during the past year. In part arising from
an extension of the limits Of mailGbie mat
ter of the fourth class, ordered TO inset the
requirements of trade, and from the receipts
Of the special delivery service, but chiefly
from the greater employment of all postal
facilities consequent upon the rising business
prosperity of the country, faithfully re-
fected in the postal service, the revenues
have gained upon the preceding year by
nearly 81, $40, Quo, attaining height mover
reached before, despite the restrictive oper-
alton of various reductions in the rates OF
postage. Upon the other hand, the study of
economy has not bsen without effect in re-
straining the necessarily rising scale OF
expenditure, SO that the increase OF cash
disbursements has but little overzteppsd S2,-
600, coo.
Thus the deficiency charged upon the
general treasury, which two years since vas
a round seven millions and yeSr ago but
about seventy thousand less, has been re-
cuced almost thres-sevenths, while the fair
argury from our present circumstances
gives hope that during the current year it
viii nearly if not entirely disappear. II
shere shall remain at the years end any ex-
a ss of cash expenditure above receipts, 1t
cannos but be much less than the postages
upon the mail matter OF the government
itself, estimated to be at least two milIlols
annually, and reasonably its debt to the
POSTAL service. 1t may, therefore, be fairly
affirmed that from the beginning Of tae
current fiscal year the postal service has
again become substantially self-sustainin:;
aud the prediction be ventured that if the
revenues bs not further crippled, and only
y similar ratio OF increasing expenditure b9
held, the next fiscal year will yield SUI
plus, which should, under the same condi-
tions. annually increase. =
The total number of postof1icss of all
-s4liassss on the Isl day OF July, 1887, stood at
-, Isl, besides which thsTe were also Glib
branch Offices or stati3n or the branch
:iiices, all auxiliary to tho postoffices in the
larger cities ijS are stations for the sale OF
eismps and stamped paper only, maintained
n mall cost; II others are also registration
Offices; So more are both registry and money
crder stations beside; and ~ more are car
Tier stations in addition, except that six OF
ahem do no money order business. The car
BNS~S-~-S0S
but name, having q superintendent, rented
apartments, and suitable allowances.
TO bring the general figures up to
uoca recent date, ths wAale number of post
Offices or tho lst day of October had become
b5, i3i, of which 2, 3Si wers salaried or prssi-
dcutjal Offices, distributed in classes and 53-
C5 were fourth class. Besides these were
G25 branch offices or stations, an increase OF
. II, - ba hot
S,0S9 were money order offices ani 10
money order stations
OF its money order servics, Mr.. Vilas
says: 'Tho money order service continued
to increase in volume during the past yasr,
the anount in the aggregate of don'~-'ic
ordors issued reaching Sill, 46S, ,661 81. .,Ai
of international orders 81, 035, 5Sl 81; ) per
centum of increase over the preceding year
in domestic orders, and -. S6 per cont. in
foreign. The aggregate OF postal notoI is
sued was II, ,76S, sch 81, and increase Of bus
Sj9,Sl4 76 The reduction of the fee from
s to cents for domestic money orders not
exceeding So pursuant to tho recommenla-
tion Of two years ago, has operated 60 i'll
crease the use Of this service to the re-
mitters of small sums in noticeable degree.
The average amount Of each order issued
last year was but S12 ~ as against al aver
age OF :Il 50 in 1856, and larger sums in
prGyioIs years. This is also Iriic1tIi ~
the increase OF 1921 per cent in the num-
ber OF orders issued, and by the small IN
crease in the use Of postal notes. IN aS'
mauner the reduction OF tho fee Tor 10. ei>h
orders operated an enlarged uso OF them,
amounting TO 2l72 per cent. in number.
Complaints of improper payments OF money
orders numbered only forty-soven Tor iae
year. or one 20 each l04, i59 orders paid. Ot
these portion was recovered, others were
shown to have bosn correctly paid, and ons
a mere trihe by comparison, resulted ~
loss to postmasters or the goyernmen~